Spring hinge



Feb. 18, 1941- G, HEMPEL 2,231,909

SPRING HINGE Filed June 29, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 NVENTOR:

Feb. 18, 1941.

E. G. HEMPEL 2,231,909

SPRING HINGE Filed June 29, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ili &

IN VTOR:

Hemp e/ TTO RNEYS Patented Feb. 18, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 12 Claim.

This invention relates to hinges for boxes and containers provided with covers and for other purposes, and refers particularly to leaf hinges having one leaf provided with resilient portions serving as springs while lugs upon the other leaf coact with said springs to determine a closed position of the cover as wellas an open position thereof.

The main object of my invention is to produce a box and cover hinge which can either be molded into the box proper and cover or introduced into the same after the box and cover have been molded.

Another object is to have a hinge which can be made easily at a low figure and yet is durable and effective in use.

A further object is to have a hinge of the character indicated in which it'is not necessary to insert any form of spring or resilient means in order to cause the hinge to resiliently maintain an open and a closed position of the cover on the box.

It is also an object of this invention to have one leaf of the hinge slotted so as to leave two resilient wings in camming contact with camming lugs upon the other leaf in order to determine resiliently maintained positions of the hinge in open and closed positions.

It is likewise an object to reinforce or stiffen an intermediate portion ofthe leaf of the hinge which' is slotted so that the resilience of the slotted leaf will be very powerful and effective.

It should be mentioned that it is even an obiect to have the hinge so constructedthat collapsible or telescopic pins can be applied to the hinge in order to assemble the hinge when the members thereof are already inserted or molded into the box and cover.

Further objects and the various advantages of my invention will appear more fully hereinafter as this specification proceeds.

, In theaccompanying drawings forming part hereof, and intended to facilitate clear comprehension of my invention: 7

Figure l is a perspective view of a box or container with a cover hinged thereto by means of hinges embodying certain features of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a -perspective view of one hinge in exploded relation to a recess of the box;

Figure-,3. is an inverted rear view of the same hingeshown in Figures 1 and 2';

Figure 4 a fragmentary section of Figure. 1 through one of the hinges as taken on line 4- -4;

Figure 5 is a horizontal fragmentary section of the rear wall of the box showing the rear portion of one hinge;

Figure 6 is a section of the parts shown in Figure 5 and taken on line 6-6;

Figure 7 is a perspective resembling that of 5 Figure 3 and showing a modification of the hinge;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary section similar to Figure 4 but illustrating the use of the modification of Figure 7;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary view of the rear por- 10 tion of a box and related portion of a cover wherein the hinge is almost completely embedded in the material composing the box and cover, -portions being turn away to disclose the main features of the hinge; 15

Figure 10 is a fragmentary enlarged section of the hinge embodying the invention showing a camming lug of one of the hinge members and the cooperating resilient leaf portion of the other member.

Throughout the views same reference numerals indicate the same or like parts.

inthe practice of my invention, a box generally indicated by l has acover generally indicated by 2, these members being preferably 25 made .of plastic material or die cast metal and being particularly intended to be conventional or of any useful shape as the box and its cover per sedo not actually form essential parts of the prwent invention so that said members as 30 shown in Figure 1 are not intended to form any limitation as to the use and location of the hinge of the invention herein.

Thus, the rear wall 3 of the box has one or more reinforcements 5, 5 which is also true of 35 the rear wall 6 of the cover, the latter having re inforcements l, 1 to strengthen the box and cover and adapt the same to have hinges molded or inserted to said reinforcements without weakening the structures involved. The reinforce- 40 ment 5 in each case has an open slot 8 and in the rear of said slot are a pair of extensions or recesses 9, 9, while each reinforcement l of the cover has a similar slot III which is also widened 1 "at the rear portion of the cover to form recesses 4 all, II. The presence of the reinforcements is not essential but is merely a manufacturing precaution which can, in many cases, be modified or omitted so that the open slots 8 and I0 and the recesses 9 and can be formed in the rear slots 3 and 6 of the-box and cover if so desired.v In the slots 8 and It may be inserted. the two leaves 12 and I3 respectively of a hinge which is retained inassembled condition by means of a hinge pin H which extends through the end lugs l5 and I3 of leaf l2 and lugs l1 and R of leaf l3 of the hinge. The hinge leaf I2 is bent at both ends and provided with retaining lugs I3, 2|! adapted to be'inserted into recesses 3, 3 and slot 3 in the rear wall 3 of the box, while hinge leaf |3 has a pair of similiar retaining lugs 2|, 22 adapted to be inserted into recesses II, II of slot III in therear wall 5 of the cover, such insertion naturally occurring from the edges of the rear walls 3 and 5 of the box and cover respectively along the planes thereof.

In order to fasten the hinge in place, several expedients are possible, the first being to. wedge the hinge leaves in place in a similar fashion to that used in the resilient hinge of my copending application, Serial No. 274,168 filed May 1'7, 1939. In other words, the leaf l2 may be furnished upon its free end with a bent-up portion 23 terminating at both ends somewhat adjacent to retaining lugs l9 and in wedging members 23, while hinge leaf l3 has a similar bent-up portion 25 terminating at theends in wedging members 21, 28 adapted to be forced down and wedged against the end walls 23 and 30 of the open slot 8, wedging members 23 and 25 wedging against the ends 23' and 30' in each' of the slots' III in the cover wall 5. ,Obviously, when the wedging members have been forced down more nearlyin line with portion 23 as indicated in Figures 4, 5 and 6 and similarly when l the lugs 23 and 25 have been forced into the cover almost in line with portion 23, these four lugs will wedge so sharply in the slots of the rear walls of the box and cover that the hinge members are no longer removable but firmly wedged in place. I I

It is not intended to apply a loose spring to the hinge in order to have the same capable of retaining the cover in erect position as shown in Figure 1 or in closed position. but instead the construction of the hinge is itself so designed that this desirable effect will occur. Thus, the hinge leaf l2 has a pair of slots 3| and '32 running inwardly toward the center of the leaf from the edges thereof starting approximately at the inner end of each of retaining lugs l3 and 23 so as to produce a pair of resilient portions 33 and 33 which are stiffened by an indentation forming a reinforcement in the intermediate portionof said hinge leaf. 'I'he lugs I1 and II of hinge leaf l3 engage against the inner flat faces of resilient portions 33 and 33 and serve as camming lugs so that variations in the profile of each lug will tend to displace said resilient portions slightly out of plane with the main body portion of leaf l2. It then each lug has a flat edge 35 (Figure 10), the hinge leaf l3 will tend to come to rest in .the position indicated in broken lines at |3' withthe flat edge 33 disposed against resilient portion 33 of leaf I! as indicated in broken lines at 35" but when the hinge leaves are brought practically into alignment the slightly inclined edge 31 will tend to allow resilient portion 33 to descend toward hinge pin l3 so as to retain the hinge members in said position which actually represents-a closed position of the cover on the box. Of course, the edge 35 can be slightly inclined so as to tend to change the angle of i3 with respect to leaf I! to determine an open position of the cover but this angle is optional and is merely indicated as approximately 90 with respect to leaf l2 in Figure 10 and is only intended to represent that the hinge leaves occupy positions corresponding to any predetermined open position of the box cover with respect to the box.

In the form of binge already described. a long hinge pin |3 may be used as shown or short rivets or studs limited to the lugs at each end may beused.

In Figure 7 a modification of the hinge consists mainly of two leaf members 38 and 33 which do not have any wedging members or lugs similar to 21 and 23 of leaf l3 for example but the hinge lugs l5, I3, l1 and I3 correspondin all details to the hinge lugs l5, l3, l1 and I8 already described, while the retaining lugs I3, 20', 2| and 22' serve to anchor the hinge leaves in place in somewhat the same manner as retaining lugs i3, 23, 2| and 22, as described. In addition, the

slots 3| and 32 in leaf 33 serve the same pur- "in the leaves so that a. material of the box and cover can extend through these apertures and terminate flush at 33 and 35 for example, with the exposed surfaces of the hinge leaves 33 and 33 while the retaining lugs l3 through 22' are embedded in the material forming the rear walls 35 and 31 of the box 38 and cover 33 respectively. In this form, the indented reinforcement 3 in leaf 38 is similar to reinforcement 35 previously described. Due to the fact that the retaining lugs l3 through 22' are thus embedded and altogether out of sight and also that the plastic or die cast metal extend through the B'Perture at 33 or 35 as mentioned, no wedging members or other means will be required to hold the hinge members in place. Obviously, the two hinge leaves are separately molded into the box and cover and are only assembled after the molding of these parts has been completed. For this reason, the hinge pins used for such hinge must be inserted when assembling the cover with the box which is actually performed by assembling the hinges rigidly secured in the rear walls of the box and these hinge 'pins are preferably made telescoping or expansible as in the case of pin 7 53 shown in Figure 7. This pin consists of two aligned pin members 5| and 52 having a yielding curved portion 53 connecting these two parts,

this construction making it possible to draw the two pin portions 5| and 52 toward each other sumciently to be inserted between lugs ii and I3 and thereafter forced apart so that the ends of said pin will pass through these lugs and into lugs l5 and I5. a

A modified manner of molding in the hinge of Figures 7 and 8 is shown in Figure 9 wherein the hinge leaves 33 and 33 are partlyvembedded in the rear walls 53 and 55 of a box and cover respectively, so that the material of said rear walls passes entirely through the apertures 30 to 33 and the retaining lugs I3 through 22' are completely embedded in said walls as in the case of the box and cover of Figure 8. In this case, a slight play space is allowed in the material of the box-wall 53 for the resilient portions 33' and 33f so that the resilient spring eifect will .be had even in this case. It is clear that the expansible pin W of Figure 7 is not the only construction possiblefor a hinge pin which is to be expanded intothe lugs at the ends, and hence, in Figure 9 a telescoping pin is shown which consists of a tubular member 5' having end pins 51 and II expanded into the lugs Iii through I. by aspring 59. Other constructions of expansible or telescoping pins may be resorted to so long as they make it possible to assemble the hinge members after being molded in place upon the box and covers which are to be assembled subsequently to the molding thereof, the hinge parts being preferably of metal.

From the foregoing, it is evident that a resiliently operating hinge is capable of determining at least one open and definitely closed position of a cover on a box ,without the use of extraneous or inserted springs while the side i ing two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to or embedded in the rear portions of said box and cover, each hinge leaf consisting of a substantially flat metal plate which is bent down at two opposite ends thereof to form rigid end portions having anchoring flanges extending therefrom in general parallelism with the plate,

there being hinging means at least at the corners of one edge of each of said hinge leaves for receiving a hinge pin, and a hinge pin means of alterable length serving to engage with the hinging means in order to connect the two hinge leaves, the anchoring flanges adapting said hinge leaves to be embedded in the rear walls of the box and cover when making the latter and said tudinal extension of said hinge pin means in said hinging means, there being also resilient means upon the hinge tending to determine an open and a closed position of the cover on said box.

2. A hinge according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the hinge leaves has open areas in the flat portion thereof serving to increase the anchorage of the same in the portion in which it is embedded.

3. A spring hinge for a box and cover, comprising two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the rear portions of said box and cover, hinge pin means pivotally connecting said hinge leaves together; at least one slotted portion in one of the hinge leaves starting diagonally inwardly from an end thereof toward the central area of the same causing a resulting portion of the same to be resiliently yieldable out of the general plane of the rest of the leaf involved, and camming means projecting rigidly from the otherof said hinge leaves adjacent to said hinge pin means toward and cooperating with said resulting portion so as to determine at least one mutually aligned position of said hinge leaves which corresponds to a closed position of the cover on the box.

4. A spring hinge for a box and cover, comprising two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the rear portions of said box and cover, hinge pin means pivotally connecting said hinge leaves together, at least two slotted portions starting inwardly from two opposite edges of said one of the hinge leaves so that two resulting portions thereof will be resiliently displaceable out of the general plane of the same, and plural camming means projecting from the other of said hinge leaves toward and cooperating individually with said resulting portions so as to determine at least one mutually aligned position of said hinge leaves which corresponds to a closed position of the cover on thebox.

5. A spring h-inge for a box and cover, comprising two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the rear portions of said box and cover, hinge pin means pivotally connecting said hinge leaves together, retaining members upon the opposite ends of both hinge leaves serving to retain the same in assembled relation with respect to said rear portions of the box and cover,

at least one slotted portion in one of the hinge leaves starting inwardly from one of said ends causing a resulting portion of said one of the hinge leaves to be resiliently displaceable from the general plane of the rest of the hinge leaf involved, hinge lugs projectingfrom the retaining members upon both leaves and a camming portion upon at least one of the hinge lugs of the other of said hinge leaves disposed against and cooperatin with said resulting portion upon said one of the hinge leaves, so as to determine at least one mutually aligned position of said hinge leaves which corresponds to a closed position of the cover on the box.

6. A spring hinge for a box and cover, comprising two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the rear portions of said box and cover, hinge pin means pivotall connecting said hinge leaves together, retaining members upon the opposite ends of both hinge leaves serving to retain the same in assembled relation with respect to said rear portions of the box and cover, separate slotted portions starting inwardly from the 'two opposite ends of one of the hinge leaves, hinge lugs projecting upon the retaining members of both hinge leaves and camming portions upon the end lugs 01 the other of said hinge leaves engaging against and cooperating with the resulting resilient portions upon said one of the leaves so as to determine a mutually angular position of both hinge leaves corresponding to-an open position of the cover on the box and a mutually aligned position of said hinge leaves which corresponds to a closed position of the cover on the box.

7. A sping hinge for a box and cover, comprising two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the rear portions of said box and cove r, hinge Din means pivotally connecting said hinge leaves together, each hinge leaf consisting of a generally plane metal plate which is bent down at two opposite ends thereof to form rigid end portions having flanges extending therefrom in general parallelism with the plate, a hinge lug projecting upon each bent down end portion of each hinge leaf, the plate of one of the leaves having inwardly directed slotted portions commencing at the ends of the leaf adjacent to the bent down portions upon said leaf so as to form resulting resilient portions adjacent the hinge lugs of the same leaf, cam portions upon the hinge lugs of the other hinge leaf engaging against said resulting resilient lug portions of the first hinge leaf so as to cooperate therewith and determine a plurality of mutually different angular positions of said hinge leaves with respect to each other to correspond to a closed position and one or more open positions of the cover with respect to the box.

8. A spring hinge for a box and cover, comprising two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the. rear portions of said box and cover, hinge pin means pivotally connecting said hinge leaves together, each hinge leaf consisting of a generally plane metal plate which is bent down at two opposite ends thereof to form rigid end portions having flanges extending therefrom in general parallelism with the plate, a hinge lug projecting upon each bent down end portion of each hinge leaf, the plate of one of the leaves having inwardly directed slotted portions commencing at the ends of the leaf adjacent to the bent down portions upon said leaf so as to form resulting resilient portions adjacent the hinge lugs of thesame leaf, reinforcing means stiffening the plate portion of said hinge leaf so as to stiffen and reinforce the resiliency of the resulting portions of said leaf, cam portions upon the hinge lugs of the other hinge leaf engaging against said resulting resilient lug portions of the first hinge leaf so as to cooperate therewith and determine a plurality of mutually different angular positions of said hinge leaves with respect to each other to correspond to a closed position and one or more open positions of the cover with respect-to the box.

9. A spring hinge for a box and cover according to claim 1, which is capable of being assembled when the hinge leaves are already in place in a box and cover. and in which for this purpose the hinge pin means includes a pair of substantially aligned pin portions spaced apart and an integral yielding adjustable portion between the adjacent ends of said pin members comprising an alterable member connecting said inner ends and capable of being altered in length, so as to allow the hinge leaves to be assembled by insertion of said aligned pin portions from within the outline of the hinge as a whole.

10. A spring hinge for a box and cover, comprising-two hinge leaves individually adapted to be secured to the rear portions of said box and cover, hinge pin means pivotally connecting said hinge leaves together, two slotted portions extending limited distances inwardly from two edges of one of said hinge \le'aves so that two resulting integral portions thereof will be resiliently displaceable out of the general plane of the same, and plural camming means projecting from the other of said hinge leaves toward and cooperating individually with said resulting portions so as to'determine at least one mutually aligned position of said hinge leaves which corresponds to a closed position of the cover on the box.

11. A spring hinge for a box and cover according to claim 1, in which the hinge pin means comprises a telescoping pin structurewhic h is capable of being contracted or extended in length for initial insertion and subsequent retention in the hinge.

12. .A spring hinge for a box and cover according to claim 1, in which the hinge pin means comprises an elongated cylindrical pin structure which is capable of being axially altered in length for initial insertion and subsequent retention in the hinge.

EDWIN G. HEMPEL. 

